The defense of the aunsvvere to the Admonition against the replie of T.C. By Iohn VVhitgift Doctor of Diuinitie. In the beginning are added these. 4. tables. 1 Of dangerous doctrines in the replie. 2 Of falsifications and vntruthes. 3 Of matters handled at large. 4 A table generall.

T. C. Page. 63. Sect. 4.

In the tabernacle the Church is yet more expressely shewed foorth. Moyses that was the o∣uerseer of the worke was a wise and godly man, the artificers that wrought it Bezalaell and A∣holiab, most cunning workmen, and yet obserue how the Lord▪ leaueth nothing to their will: but telleth not only of the bourdes, of the courtanes, of the apparell, but also of the barres, of the rings, of the strings of the bookes, of the beesoms, of the snuffers, and of the thinges, the matter, and the form〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.

Io. Whitgifte.

It is well knowen that the Israelites had long continued among the Egyptians, a* 1.1 most superstitious kind of people, without any law of God written, and therfore now being deliuered from them, and yet inclined to their Idolatrie, God (as most writers thinke) of his infinite wisedome did so charge them with ceremonies of his owne in∣stitution, that they should neyther haue leysure to vse any other, nor yet desire the E∣giptiacall kind of worshipping.

Touching the tabernacle and the particular description of things perteining to the* 1.2 same, I say with Pellicane These things are particularly described according to the word of the Lord, that the people might know that they ought not so much to obey Moyses pre∣cepts as the will of God, in building the Tabernacle, and in freely offering to the same their gold, their siluer, their brasse, their purple. &c. the which otherwise they would haue abused to their owne vanities: and that also they might not be without that bewtie in ceremonies and worshipping of God, which they see among the Gentiles. Moreouer that they mighte haue matter to occupie them with, least they shoulde fall to slothfulnesse and idlenesse. So that of this place it may be well gathered, that nothing wherein the worship of God doth consist, is to be vsed without his prescription, but how you can aptly apply thys figure to the externall gouernment, and pollicie of the Church, I cannot well vnder∣stand: and if you may so vse it, yet do you but allegory, which is no good kind of proofe bycause allegories may be applyed according to euery particular mans inuention. But all that can be truely gathered of this figure is (as I haue saide before) that,* 1.3 no kynde of worship may be broughte into the Churche of God, whiche is not grounded vppon hys woorde, and therefore Ma. Caluine speaking of thys taberna∣cle saythe that God gaue preceptes of the tabernacle and thynges perteyning to it.

Ne externa pietatis exercitia, quae vidimus fuisse admodùm necessaria, populum deficerent, Least the people should wante the outwarde exercises of godlynesse, which we see to haue bene verie necessarie. And againe he sayth, that when Moyses in the mountaine dydde sée the example of the Tabernacle, he was then instructed De vero Dei cultu & mysterijs. of the true worship of God and of heauenly mysteries. And againe speaking of this Ta∣bernacle he sayth: Lex Iudaeos ad spiritualem solum Dei cultum instituit, sed ceremonijs vesti∣tum, vt ferebat temporis ratio. The lawe did institute the Iewes only to the spirituall vvor∣ship of God, but yet couered with ceremonies, as the tyme required. Therfore in this fi∣gure there was only expressed what shoulde be done in the worshipping of God, and not in the externall policie and gouernment of the Churche.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why God ap pointed so ma ny ceremonies to the Israe∣lites.
• * 1.2

  Pellican.
• * 1.3

  Calui〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e. 35. Exo. in. expos 2. praecept〈1 line〉〈1 line〉▪